


Evening Tea

by 2Dsheep



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: And it's disgusting, Fluff, M/M, They're old clueless dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21808024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Dsheep/pseuds/2Dsheep
Summary: Erwin's not so fond of tea. He's more of a coffee person. But every evening, without fail, he'll have himself a soothing cup of hot tea. The drink's not bad, but the company's even better.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 6
Kudos: 94





	Evening Tea

For much of his life, Erwin had never been all that fond of tea. He had a vague memory of a member of his family joking that he had moved straight from the breast and onto the coffee bean. For a moment he tried to chase the face, perhaps it was an uncle, but try as he might, he couldn’t recall who’d said it. It wasn’t important anymore. There was no one left now.

It didn’t say much about Erwin’s memory that he couldn’t remember his first coffee, only that it was an ever present drink growing up. There was something about the deep aroma, rich and heavy and a kick to the senses, its refreshing bitterness as it washed over his tongue. Tea was a drink that simply seemed to pale in comparison, but for years now he’d drunk it every afternoon, even sometimes choosing to forego his morning coffee, though that was a rare occurrence. Erwin couldn’t remember his first cup of tea either, but he remembered in surprising detail the first tea he’d ever drunk and enjoyed.

It had been an evening not too unlike this one, with rain streaming steadily down the windows and a coolness to the air that settled upon his skin. There had been an awful week to prelude it, a disastrous mission and displeased investors looming over him, but a lovely cup of tea had washed that all away. But then again, was it really the tea that had had such an effect on him?

There was a knock on the door, summoning Erwin from his thoughts. Two sharp taps. Erwin shot a quick glance at the clock sat atop the fireplace. Just on time, as like every day not even a minute past eight.

“Good evening, Levi,” Erwin said, even before the door was pushed open.

His Captain walked in, a tray in hand balancing a teapot and two teacups. He didn’t respond, but he never would. Levi wasn’t one for pleasantries. When he spoke it was with purpose, though a bit of drink had the power of loosening his tongue. Erwin could count on only one hand how many times he’d been lucky enough to see that.

Considering Levi’s constant punctuality, Erwin should have been in the habit of clearing his desk before the clock struck eight, but as usual he had to rush to gather up his papers and twist tight the ink pot’s lid. Levi waited without a word, though Erwin might have caught him roll his eyes as he placed the tray down on the freshly cleared desk.

The sound of hot tea falling against the porcelain, dancing with whispers of steam and a floral scent relaxed Erwin, as if he had been conditioned to it.

“Do you remember the first tea we shared together, Levi?”

“Why would I remember something like that?” He responded with a click of his tongue.

Erwin watched as Levi picked up the saucer, lifting it up from the tray with such care, and placed it on the desk at Erwin’s right side with a caution he’d rarely see from the man outside of this moment. Levi was always so careful with the teacups. Erwin knew they were of his own collection, that the dirty mugs from the canteen weren’t good enough for the fine tea Levi would bring for them both was something Erwin had been reminded of many times before. Often he wondered if it were more than their price that had Levi taking such care. Some sentimental value perhaps.

"You were of great help to me, and you really helped me put things in perspective.”

“It’s what anyone would’ve done. Was a shit week.”

“So, you do remember.”

Levi didn’t reply to that, simply cast his eyes down and took a sip from his tea though it must have been far too hot still.

“I only made you tea.”

“And we spoke.”

“Not much.”

“But enough.”

Erwin caught sight of his reflection as he went to take a sip of his own tea. Only slightly surprised to see a smile pulling at his lips.

“You’re fucking weird, Erwin.”

“I’ve been told so before. Many times by you.”

With a shrug of his shoulders Levi acknowledged the fact. He would never try to deny it. Levi had never said something he didn’t mean, and would never take it back. While a problematic trait when dealing with potential investors, nobles and the sort, it was a trait of Levi’s that Erwin would never change. He was one of the few people, if not the only person, in whom Erwin could place unconditional trust. There was nothing like a bit of blunt truth to shine a light on things; words doused in perfume and wrapped in fine silk would never get them anywhere.

“I only asked if you remembered because it really has done me the world of good, taking some time away to have tea with you. I don’t know what chaos my mental state would be in today were it not for this.”

Levi nodded. Something like relief on his face. “Don’t mention it.”

Silence settles amongst them, its presence readily accepted as if it were an old friend. Every now and then it would bow down to the wind sighing against the old window panes and the clinking of the tea cups against their matching saucers, and when the tea was all drank and the ceramic long turned cold, it gave its farewell as Erwin started to speak.

“I have to meet with an investor in Sheena two weeks from today.”

“Thought we didn’t talk about work during teatime.” Levi said with a scowl. “We’ve still five minutes. It’s the only damn break you allow yourself, don’t spoil it.”

“Don’t worry, it’s mostly unrelated to work.”

Erwin waited for Levi’s approval, which he received in form of a barely-there nod.

“I won’t be too far from that teashop in Ehrmich that you’ve told me about, the one off Roethe Street. I’ll have some time to spare after the meeting, so I was wondering if you had any requests.”

At first Levi didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything. He simply sat there as if waiting for Erwin to continue. Erwin wondered if Levi was still unused to gestures of goodwill, acts of kindness with no strings attached. He wished he could gift Levi a thousand times over. Spoil him until he was used to it, perhaps even until he got sick of it.

Eventually, Levi stood up and grabbed himself a piece of paper and a pencil from the table. His face was full of thought as he returned to his seat, and Erwin didn’t dare disturb him, simply sat and watched him as he scribbled down a list.

“This is quite a collection,” Erwin said as Levi handed it over.

Levi scoffed. “You can afford it.”

“Ah, is it to be a gift?”

“I think I deserve that much. I’ve been making you tea every day for how long now?”

Erwin chuckled, and a warmth lit up in his chest. Levi certainly deserved this tea as a gift, and he thought Levi deserved so much more.

“What’re you looking at?”

“Thank you, Levi.”

It wasn’t what Erwin wanted to say, not really. What he wanted to say sprang to the tip of his tongue every time his eyes met Levi’s, but he’d keep it back, sometimes needing to clench his teeth to restrain the words.

He saw Levi awkwardly shuffle in his seat as he turned his head away and refused to meet Erwin’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Levi had locked away some words of his own.

“I’m gonna clean these up,” Levi announced, standing up rather abruptly.

“Same time tomorrow?”

Levi clicked his tongue. “Of course.”

Erwin watched Levi walk out of the door, tray balanced in his hand once more. For a man so strong he was graceful as he moved, and Erwin didn’t hear a single clink of ceramic as Levi opened and closed the door behind him. As always, he was already looking forward to their meeting the following day.

Looking again at the list, he realised that he didn’t recognise half of what was on there and found himself amazed at Levi’s extensive knowledge. Though he shouldn’t have been surprised; Levi certainly wasn't a man to do things by halves.

For safekeeping, Erwin folded the list in half, and then half again, and put it into his breast pocket. He smiled to himself and wondered how Levi would react if he were to get them gift wrapped.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on tumblr! : https://2dsheep.tumblr.com


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